Year book of motion pictures (1929)

It runs for four days prior to the opening. Readers are invited to cut out the pieces, paste them together and guess the name of the star. On the opening day the names of the winners are announced. LOBBIES SAILORS' KNOTS On any picture with a sea atmosphere. On a one-sheet board have a display of various knots used by sailors. A sign states that the persons correctly naming the knots will receive passes to see the picture. Slips are provided for contestants to fill out and leave at the box office with their names and addresses. SEA ATMOSPHERE Good lobby atmosphere for picture with sea setting. Over box-office place sign: "Book Passage Here." Leading to the entrance to foyer place sign : "Entrance to Grand Salon." Place a gangplank here for patrons to enter. Have doorman and ushers in naval attire. Girl attendants can wear white sailor middy blouses and white skirts. The gangplank is the main attraction, and can be constructed at nominal expense. Here is a good atmospheric effect that costs little. THEATER FRONTS ANIMATED SHADOW BOX For use in sea picture. Rig up a mechanical shadow box, showing a vessel similar to the one featured in the picture. A concealed swivel, machine operated, rocks the ship back and forth, giving it the appearance of riding the waves. When illuminated at night, makes an effective stunt. PRINTED MATTER HERALD PUZZLE For use on feature with sea atmosphere. Distribute heralds with cut-out puzzle showing various parts of sailing ship or ocean liner. Print announcement that the first fifty to piece the puzzle together correctly will receive a free ticket to see the show. SPECIAL SHOWINGS SAILOR MATINEE On a picture with a navy background. Arrange a Saturday morning matinee and tie in with a department store for a window display of boys' sailor suits. The display carries an announcement as follows : "Every boy wearing a sailor suit to the special matinee at the Saturday morning at 10 o'clock will be admitted free." The theater's newspaper ads should carry a line that an interesting announcement for boys will be found in the department store window, thus completing the BALLY HOOS COMMERCIALIZING RAIN Use on sea or storm picture. A rainy day can be capitalized by having a man in dripping oilskins and boots visit the hotels and stores and distribute small cards announcing the showing. CAPTAIN AND SAILOR On a sea picture use a boy and a girl rigged up as a captain and a sailor. The girl as the captain carries a brief case with the name of the picture on it. The sailor boy gets over some comedy with the help of a small poodle tied to a thick rope. On the dog's back is a blanket lettered with the name of the picture and theater. WALKING YACHT On a feature with sea atmosphere. A few boards, some cloth and a little ingenuity will produce an inexpensive "walking yacht." Actual shape of boat is not strictly necessary. Use canvas along bottom on which water waves are painted. This also serves to conceal feet of man who stands inside the "yacht" and parades the streets with it. Use lightweight rope rigging on deck and string this with a few colored pennants. The man keep? his hands on small steering wheel, carrying out idea of a yacht under sail. The attraction at theater is printed on the canvas "waves." TIE-UPS RECRUITING OFFICE On picture with Navy setting. Arrange with local Navy office to install a temporary recruiting station in the lobby. A petty officer or a "gob" should be on duty at all hours to talk to those interested. Flags, posters, ads and handbills play up the navy angle throughout. SEA FOOD DISH On a Navy picture, or any feature with the sea atmosphere. Arrange with prominent restaurant to put out a special sea food dish named after the picture or the star. A placard in the window ties this up with the showing. WINDOW DISPLAYS SHIP MODEL For use on sea picture. Tie up with clothing store for window displaying model of a sailing ship. Card announces that the boy who builds a model nearest like the one on display will receive a suit of clothes free. Sex Dramas and Romance NEWSPAPERS LOVE CONTEST Arranee contest with newspaper on theme "How to Tell When You re in Love." The contest offers free tickets to the best letters on the subject, which are also printed in the newspaper. Start this a week ahead of feature booking. LOVE LESSONS Use on any picture with love theme — which means practically all of 'em . Run a series of four or five "Lessons in Love" in newspaper advertising columns. These appear daily before opening of feature. At the bottom of each lesson in large letters run line: "Watch This Space." On final day the space is used for hooking up the showing with the series OLD MARRIED COUPLE Through local newspaper cooperation playing this up as a human interest stunt, make a hunt tor the oldest married couple living in the county. Properly handled, the newspaper will give this a lot of space. Local dealers will offer prizes. Hold a box party for the local contestants to give it an added kick. TABLOID SPECIAL A serialized novel tying up with a motion picture can be launched in cooperation with the picture's opening by the issue of a tabloid supplement of the newspaper carrying the first two or three chapters lavishly illustrated with still pic tures. The tabloid gets theater and house to-house distribution, and the expense is shared by the theater and the newspaper. AD AND LOBBY CONTEST Theater to offer through newspaper, prize for the best newspaper ad on the picture it is presenting. Also best sketch or design for effective lobby display on this picture. The latter would make best ballyhoo, because the people would naturally visit theater front to get some idea of how to work their plan, and incidentally would see advertising material posted in prominent spot of the lobby on the presentation offered. POPULAR GIRL CONTEST Announcements made that valuable prizes will be given to the most popular girl in the city by the celebrated star, appearing in the picture advertised. Newspaper to insert coupon good for ten photos, and when accompanied by a ticket to the picture will be good for twenty-five photos. The theater to stamp coupons in red, so that they can be identified later, when counted. STREET PHOTOS Novelty stunt to be worked with newspaper. The latter has a photographer take five photos of girls each day who are willing to pose in the 778